HAMMOND- Voters in Tangipahoa parish have a powerful decision to make Saturday. After 20 years in office, Sheriff Daniel Edwards is retiring. 

On the ballot are former Mandeville Police Chief Gerald Sticker and Chris Gideon, who was a Tangipahoa deputy until 2004 when he started his own law enforcement business. 

"We're going to take what's good, and improve it, the things that need to be changed, we'll change as we go along," Sticker said.

Both candidates agree that change is needed. 

"We're looking forward to bringing the change, fresh energy," Gideon said.

Sticker cited low pay and turnover as significant problems for the office.

"Our sheriff's office is the second lowest funded sheriff's office in the state. The deputies are making probably high $20k range. The attrition rate is just terrible. you can't keep good people. Once you get them trained, they're going to other municipalities in the parish, and even other parishes working," Sticker said.

Gideon said schools are a priority.

"We need crisis plans in all of our schools, we need guardian programs in all of our schools, we need buddy programs, all programs that are volunteer to help our teachers create safer learning environments so our teachers can teach, we will help with the safety aspect, it's not just active school shooters there are other plans that need to be put into school crisis plans to keep them safe," Gideon said.

He also cited worrisome lags in response time. Often officers from other jurisdictions have to handle a call until TPSO deputies arrive. Gideon said that needs to change. 

Community members have recently shed light on several deaths inside the jail within the last year. Sticker said the death rate is unacceptable. 

The new sheriff comes at a time when people want transparency, and trust needs to be earned.

Gideon said it's crucial to enforce the law evenly on the public and on sheriff's office employees.

"We want to be accountable and we want to be transparent with you, but that doesn't mean we won't stand behind our deputies when they are right. We will also hold ourselves more accountable when we do make mistakes, and we will, we're human beings," Gideon said.

Sticker said he will admit failures and work to prevent them from happening again.

"If we make a mistake, I will point out what the mistake is, I'll point out what the cause is, and I'll point out what the plan is to address it," Sticker said.